Safety device for corliss engines.



No. 638,62I. I Patented Dec. 5, I899. W. F. BRADBURY & D. E. WASHINGTON.I SAFETY DEVICE FOR GORLISS ENGINES.

(Applicaticn filed Aug. 16, 1893.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheat I.

No. 638,621. Patented Dec. 5, I899. W. F. BRADBURY &. D. E. WASHlNGTON.SAFETY DEVICE FOR DORLISS ENGINES.

(Application filed Aug. 16, 1898. MOdBU 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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NITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

WILLIAM F. BRADBURY, OF KANSAS CITY, KANSAS, AND DIXON E. WASHINGTON, OFKANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNORS OF ONE THIRD TO GEORGE H. JEFFREYS, OFKANSAS CITY, KANSAS.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR CORLISS ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,621, dated December5, 1899.

Application filed August 16,1898. Serial No. 688,669. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, IVILLIAM F. BRAD- BURY, of Kansas City, in thecounty of \Vyandotte, in the State of Kansas, and DIXONE. \VASHINGTON,of Kansas City, in the county of Jackson, in the State of Missouri, haveinvented a certain new and useful Safety Device for Corliss Engines,ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisspecification.

Ourinvention relates to a new and useful safety device for Corlissengines for controlling and stopping the engine when a determined speedabove the normal working speed is reached. I/Ve are aware that a numberof devices have been placed before the public notice for controlling andstopping an engine and preventing running away; but heretofore all suchdevices have been connected with the governor or controlled and put intoanism and may or may not act within the safety limit of speed.

The object of our invention is to provide'a safety device connecteddirectly with and put in operation and controlled by the action of thevalve mechanism, so that so long as the valve mechanism is in operationthe device will be in operative relation therewith and controlledthereby regardless of other parts and mechanism, it being apparent thatwhen the valve mechanism stops no safety device is needed, and a devicecapable of such adjustment that when a determined speed above normal isreached the engine will be at once stopped; and to attain this objectour invention consists of certain features of novelty hereinafterdescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure I represents an end elevation of the valvemechanism of a Corlissengine provided with our safety device. Fig. 11 represents an endelevation of the same viewed from the opposite side. Fig. III representsa side elevation of the same. Fig. IV represents a detail elevation ofour safety device. Fig. V represents a view, partly in cross-section, onthe line a: 00 of Fig. IV. Fig. VI represents a view showing relation ofauxiliary weight.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

1 represents the valve-stem. the valve-stem crank, on which are mountedthe catch-block 3 and the dash pot rod 4, Fig. I. 5 represents thegovernor-crank. 6 represents the wrist-plate crank connected by the rod7 with the wrist-plate. (Not shown.) 8 represents the crab-claw crankcarrying the latch 9 and the trip-arm 10. In relation to these parts,common to all Corliss engines, our device consists of a block 11,mounted by means of the plate 12 upon the sleeve of the bell'crank, sothat the block is given an oscillating movement corresponding to theoscillations of the crank. In said block ll is jonrnaled a shaft 13, theouter end of which passes through an opening 14 inthe crabclaw crank.Beyond said crank a portion (substantially half) of the shaft isremoved, providing a flat face 15 on the diameter of the shaft, arrangedclosely adjacent to the face of the trip-arm 10 when the latch is inengage me-nt with the catch-block 3. On said shaft 13 is fixedly mountedan arm 16, on which arm is adjustably mounted a weight 17, in suchrelation that when the weight is inits elevated position, as shown inheavy lines in Fig. II, the flat face 15 of the shaft is in line withthe face of the trip-arm 10, as above stated. To retain the shaft in theposition designated against the action of the weight in a recess in theblock 11, a disk 18 is fixedly mounted on the shaft, provided with theV- shaped indentation 19 and the square-shouldered indentation 20, andin another and longitudinal recess 21 in the block is provided a catch22, having a V-shapedextremity 23, arranged to take in the V- shapedindentation 19 in the disk. To retain said catch in engagement with thedisk, on said catch is provided a stud 24, extending into an adjacentrecess 25, in which is located a 2 represents coiled spring 26, arrangedto bear on said stud, the tension of said spring being controlled andregulated by the screw-plug 27, bearing thereon. A plate'23 is providedto close the recess 2 l. 29 represents a lever fulcru med at 30 in theside of the block adjacent to the catch-recess, one arm of said leverterminating in a V-shaped nib 31, engaging a ernor mechanism to operatesuch trip with- V-shaped notch 32 in the side of the catch, and theother arm having adjustably mounted thereon the weight 33, the functionof which will appear.

In operation by the action of the wrist-plate in operating the valvemechanism an oscillating movement is given to the crank-arms 6 and 8 anda coincident and corresponding oscillating mot-ion is given to the block11 and the weight 17, mounted on the shaft 13, journaled in said block,the weight being held in position by engagement of the catch 22 in theV-shaped notch in the disk 18, as above stated.

'sponding to. the speed of the engine.

By this oscillating motion due to the oscillating action of the cranks acertain momentum is generated in or given to the weight and the degreeof thismomentum, as is apparent, is dependent upon the rapidity ofoscillation of t-he'cranks, such oscillation of course corre- Thetendency of this momentum generated in the weight is to cause the shaft13 to turn and to disengage the catch from the notch in the disk. Toresist this impulse due to the mo mentum of the weight and retain theweight in position at normal speed, the tension of thespring 26 is setby the screw-plug 27 to such degree that the catch is held in the notchwith sufficient force to prevent escape and hold the weight up at normalspeed; but when the speed increases above normal to a desired anddetermined point within the limit of safety the momentum of the weightwill overcome the restraining force of the spring, the disk will escapefrom the catch, and the weight will be thrown down until the catchengages the shouldered notch 20, as shown in dotted lines in Figs [I andIV. By this action of the weight the shaft is turned quarter round, andin so turning the quadrant adjacent to the trip-arm of the latch acts asa trip to engage the latch trip-arm, throwing the latch out ofengagement with the catch-block and preventing further engagementtherewith, and thereby instantly and completely cutting off furtheradmission of steam to the engine. The tension of the spring in relationto'the momentum of the weight may be adjusted to a very great nicety, itbeing found in practice that such adjustment can be made so that in anengine running normally at ninety revolutions two revolutions abovenormal will cast the weight and shut off the steam. To assist in raisingthe catch 22 to release the weight 17, We provide the weight 33 on thelever 29, this weight having a momentum similar to that of weight 17 andacting to raise the catch. The lever is also useful to raise the catchfrom the shoulder notch 20 to restore the weight 17 to position.

We preferablyuse the weight, as above described, impelled by themomentum derived from the oscillation of the valve-gear to operate thetrip and release the latch. It is, however, apparent that other meansmay be used independent of the governor and govout departing from theprinciple of our invention, the principle of our invention being theapplication of a power or force to release and control the latchactuated and controlled by means independent of the governor andgovernor mechanism.

Having thus fully described our safety device, what we claim as ourinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A safety device for Corliss engines consisting of the combinationwith the valve-operating mechanism,of a weighted trip mounted on thebell-crank sleeve and arranged to be operated by the momentum impartedby the oscillations of the bell-crank to trip the crab-claw at a certainpredetermined speed limit, and means connected with and. arranged tocontrol said trip until such speed limit is reached; substantially asset forth.

2. A safety device for Corliss engines consisting of the combinationwith the valve-operating mechanism of a weighted trip mounted on thebell-crank sleeve and arranged to be operated by the momentum impartedby the oscillations of the bell-crank to trip the crab-claw at a certainpredetermined speed limit, and a catch connected, with and arranged tocontrol said trip until such speed limit is reached,.substantially asset forth.

3. A safety device for Corliss engines consisting of the combinationwith the valve-0perating mechanism of a weighted trip mounted on thebell-crank sleeve and arranged to be operated by the momentum impartedby the oscillations of the bell-crank to trip the crab-claw at a certainpredetermined speed limit, and a spring-controlled catch connected withand arranged to control the trip until such speed limit is reached;substantially as set forth.

4. A safety device for Corliss engines consisting of the combinationwith the valve-0peratiug mechanism, of a trip mounted on the bell-cranksleeve arranged to act upon the crab-claw, a weight connected with andarranged by its oscillating momentum ata certain predetermined speedlimit to operate said trip, and means connected with and arranged tocontrol said weight until such speed limit is reached, substantially asset forth. a

5. A safety device for Corliss engines consisting of the combinationwith the valve-0perating mechanism, of a trip mounted on the bell-cranksleeve arranged to act upon the crab-claw, a weight connected with andarranged by its oscillating momentum at a cer-,

tain predetermined speed limit to operate said trip, anda catchconnected with and arranged to control said weight until such speedlimit is reached, substantially as set forth.

6. A safety device for Corliss engines con= sisting of the combinationwith the valve-operating mechanism of a trip mounted upon the bell-cranksleeve arranged to act uponthe crab-claw, a weight connected with andarranged by its oscillating momentum at a certain predetermined speedlimit to operate said trip, and a spring-controlled catch connected withand arranged to control said weight until such speed limit is reachedsubstantially as set forth.

7. A safety device for Corliss engines consisting of ablock mounted onthe bell-crank sleeve, a shaft journaled in said block arranged to tripthe crab-claw, aweight mounted on said shaft arranged to operate thetrip, and a spring-catch arranged to control the weight when the partsare so arranged that the oscillating momentum of the weight c011- trolsthe trip; substantially as set forth.

8. A safety device for Corliss engines consisting of a block mounted onthe bell-crank sleeve, a shaft journaled in said block arranged to tripthe crab-claw,a weight mounted on said shaft arranged to operate thetrip, and a spring-catch arranged to control the Weight, when the partsare so arranged that at a certain speed the oscillating momentum of theweight will overcome the resistance of the catch and operate the trip;substantially as set forth.

9. A safety device for Corliss engines consisting of the combinationwith the valve-operating mechanism, of a block mounted on the bell-cranksleeve, a shaft journaled in said block arranged to trip the crab-claw,a weight mounted on said shaft arranged to operate the trip, and aspring-catch arranged to control the weight, when the parts are soarranged that the oscillations of the bell-crank beyond a certain speedlimit will cause the release of the weight and the operation of thetrip; substantially as set forth.

10. A safety device for Corliss engines consisting of a block mounted onthe bell-crank sleeve, a shaft journaled in said block arranged to tripthe crab-claw,a weight mounted on an arm fixed on said shaft, a diskhaving suitable notches in its periphery mounted on said shaft, and aspring-catch arranged to take in said notches; substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

11. In a safety device for Corliss engines, a

block mounted upon the bell-crank sleeve, a shaft journaled in saidblock having at one end a flattened face arranged to trip the crabclaw,and means for controlling and operating said shaft; substantially as setforth.

12. A safety device for Corliss engines consisting of a block mountedon'the bell-crank sleeve, a shaft journaled in said block arranged totrip the crab-claw,a weight mounted on an arm fixed onsaid shaft, a diskhaving suitable notches in its periphery mounted on said shaft, aspring-catch arranged to take in said notches, and a weighted lever fulerumed in said block arranged to act on said catch against the tensionof its spring; substantially as set forth.

13. A safety device for Corliss engines consisting of a block mounted onthe bell-crank sleeve, a shaft journaled in said block arranged to tripthe crab-claw, a weight adj ustably mounted on an arm fixed on saidshaft, a disk having suitable notches in its periphery mounted on saidshaft, and a spring-catch arranged to take in said notches;substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

14. In a safety device for Corliss engines, a spring-catch consisting ofablock having suitable adjacent recesses, a catch arranged in one ofsaid recesses, a stud on said catch eX- tending into the other recess, aspring in said recess arranged to bear on said stud, and a screw-plugarranged to control the tension of said spring; substantially as setforth.

15. A safety device for Corliss engines consisting of a block mountedupon the bell-crank sleeve, a shaft journaled in said block arranged totrip the crab:claw,a weight mounted on said shaft arranged to operatethe same to trip the crab-claw ata certain predetermined speed limit,and a catch connected with and arranged to control said weight untilsuch speed limit is reached, substantially as set forth.

WVILLIAM F. BRADBURY. DIXON E. WASHINGTON. Witnesses:

JOHN 1W1. PARRY, WILLIE SMITH.

